1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to pulling pumps from a well.
In the typical construction of a well, where the water supply may be hundreds of feet beneath the surface a submersible pump is positioned at or near the bottom of the well. The pump, suspended from the pipe which also acts as the conduit for the water, and electrical wiring for the pump must be driven to these depths when installing pumps or removing same when the pump or some portion of the piping must be replaced.
It is to an apparatus of this type to which the present invention is directed.
2. Description of Prior Art
The patent to Michael, U.S. Pat. No. 598,527; describes a lifting device for well tubing, with means to vary the tension upon the tube being elevated.
The patent to Price, U.S. Pat. No. 1,387,944 describes a well casing extractor with hingedly supported yoke frames and gripping rollers carried by the hinged frames.
Reib, U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,210, pertains to a device for pulling newly formed plastic pipe from an extrusion device through a vacuum sizer.
Burlett, U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,933 relates to a machine for lowering and raising lengths of pipe into and out of drilled wells and in which the pipe is gripped between a pair of pneumatic tires and power means are provided to rotate at least one of the tires to move the lengths of pipe along an axis into and out of the well.
Funk U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,618, is similar to Burlett, U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,933, but, in addition to the two tires as wheels on the base of the machine, a third well pipe engaging wheel is carried on a support member.
Common problems associated with prior art pump pulling apparatus are that they are labor intensive and it is often difficult to access wells and casings in environments that are rugged or challenging geographies. Also because of their size and weight, they are not truly a one man operation.